The stage is set and the upcoming match up will be the most anticipated wars in recent college football history. Actually the SEC championship was of no great surprise even for the casual NCAA follower. In fact after the Alabama win over LSU you could already hear the soft singing of repeated destiny. Everyone knew that there was no turning away from the path to another SEC Alabama and Florida collision.

The real question is, if defense wins championships, what happens when two of the best defensive teams in college football meet? This of course is just one of the many factors to consider in this game. Yet it is the defense that will be a top factor in determining the outcome.

The most points given up by the crimson tide came in the first game-September 5-still only allowing 24 points. As for the Gators, all of their challengers were held to a mere 20 points or less the entire season. This is really to close to call so one would have to look at the other side of the ball.

On the offensive side, the Gators are scoring an average of 34 points per game or 33.9 for you technical buffs. The Crimson tide averages about 31 points per game or 30.9 for…well you get the picture. Very close, but could easily be swayed in either direction by the ever so emerging factors that keep the outside analyst guessing and college football fans watching.

The Tim Tebow story will be played up like a summer blockbuster James Cameron movie. Born in the Philippines to missionary parents, from home schooled to Heisman, and two time ESPY male athlete winner Tebow is a walking sports movie. Believe me the marketing media are licking their chops waiting to get this guy to smile in their commercials. Truth be told, I know if my company had the means and opportunity, I would jump at the chance. You can rest for sure that T2-like always-will leave it all out on the field.

Standing on that very field will be the best defense he has ever had to face. This will be the only major counter balance in the Alabama arsenal. Along with that will be the equally prevailing factor of revenge. A revenge that has surly been simmering in the deep psyche of every single Crimson Tide player.

All in all this will be the one to watch. After personally reviewing this match up I came to a definite conclusion. For every possible known result, there are about 2 or three unknowns. One thing is for sure, this will not be the same match up that occurred last season. That song ended with the crimson tide letting their dreams float away in lost lyrics. This second verse will not be…. the same as the first.

Carl Henegan You can find Carl Henegan at http://www.betonmysportsteam.com were he owns and operates IGB.

The Unstoppable Force, meets the Immovable Object

I really hate to sound cliché here but for lack of a better analogy, I try to spin this one towards a tangible angel. LSU come to Alabama to begin a battle that promises to be the classic unstoppable force meets the immovable object.

When you really crunch the numbers the two teams are not that far apart as the 8 point spread indicates. Still it is no secrete that Alabama-in this analogy anyway-represents the unstoppable force averaging a little over 28 points per game. In the mean time the immovable object-LSU defense-is only allowing a little over 10 points per game. That is the surface view of this clash in waiting.

If we take a closer look, there are a couple of games that tend to stand out and set off alarms. On the Alabama side we only have to reach back to their most recent game. The Tennessee volunteers tested Alabama to the point where it took a stroke of luck to pull it off. As for LSU, although they lost, in mid October LSU defense held the Florida Gators to just 13 points.

This will end up being more of a defensive battle, a chess game of field position waiting for the opposing team to make a mistake. I am anticipating that the LSU defense have studied the Alabama and Tennessee game tapes till even the commercials were memorized. They will be ready.

Look for low scoring and for both teams to leave it all out on the field. The unstoppable force is at home and with the no surprise exception of Arkansas and North Texas, have not really blown out teams. The immovable force as been consistently solid and will offer Alabama a strong wall to penetrate. If you love defense this is your game, it will be close, and look for Alabama to pull this one off but only by a small margin.